Hicks is ready for his Grand day out

BIG GAME . . . Oldham's Robert Hicks

OLDHAM'S Robert Hicks will end a 'roller-coaster' season by refereeing his first Super League Grand Final after being appointed to Saturday's mouth-watering title decider between Warrington and Wigan at Old Trafford.

Hicks (34), who refereed the semi-final between Wigan and Hull, became a Super League referee in 2010.

He clearly sees this glorious face-off as a major highlight of his officiating career.

Hicks told the Chronicle: "I was over the moon when I was informed about taking charge of this game.

"The Grand Final is the highlight of the Super League calender so it's a huge honour for me to be involved in it in this way.

"I'd also like to think it's reward and recognition for me following a good season.

"The atmosphere at Old Trafford is going to be amazing, but I'm ready for it.

"With the stadium being almost, if not completely sold-out, it's just going to be electric in there.

"I have got an important job to do, of course, so once that first whistle goes I'll be blocking everything out and concentrating solely on the match.

"Hopefully the two teams will put in great performances.

"I actually refereed Warrington-Wigan recently and that game had everything. There was controversy, skill and some great tries, so let's hope everyone sees more of the same on Saturday."

It has been a 2016 campaign of peaks and one particular trough for Hicks, who took charge of the Fiji-Papua New Guinea Pacific Test earlier this year.

He picked up a calf injury not long after his return from the Southern Hemisphere, one that kept him out of action for eight weeks.

"It has been something of a roller-coaster season for me this year," added Hicks.

The injury set me back a bit, but now I've been back in action over the final third of the season I believe my level of performance is back up where I want it to be."

Ben Thaler, who was in charge of last year's Grand Final as well as last Thursday's semi-final between Warrington and St Helens, will be the video referee on Saturday.

It means the final will have had a different referee for four successive years, following the previous appointments of Phil Bentham (2014) and Richard Silverwood (2013).